[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 132 (Friday, July 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37415-37416]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18428]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Occupational Safety and Health Administration
[Docket No. ICR-98-17]


Design of Cave-in Protection Systems; Information Collection 
Requirements

AGENCY: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Labor.

ACTION: Notice; opportunity for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and information collection burdens, is conducting a 
preclearance consultation program to provide the general public and 
Federal agencies with an opportunity to comment on both current and 
proposed collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA 95) (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). This program 
helps to ensure that reporting burden (time and financial resources) is 
minimized, collection materials are clearly understood, impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be accurately assessed, and 
requested data can be provided in the desired format. Currently, the 
Occupational Safety and Health Administration is soliciting comments 
concerning the collection of information requirements contained in 29 
CFR 1926.652 (b) and (c), Design of Cave-in Protective systems.
    The Agency is particularly interested in comments that:
    <bullet> Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of OSHA's responsibilities, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    <bullet> Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology (for example, permitting 
electronic submissions of responses).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before September 8, 
1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments are to be submitted to the Docket Office, Docket 
ICR-98-17, U.S. Department of Labor,

[[Page 37416]]

Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 
219-7894. Written comments limited to 10 pages or less may be 
transmitted by facsimile to (202) 219-5046.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Laurence Davey, Directorate of Construction, Occupational Safety 
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N3621, 200 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210, (202) 219-7207. Copies 
of the information collection requests are available for inspection and 
copying in the Docket Office and will be mailed to persons who request 
copies by telephoning Mr. Davey at (202) 219-7207 or Barbara Bielaski 
at (202) 219-8076. For electronic copies of the information collection 
request, contact OSHA's Web Page on the Internet at http://www.osha-
slc.gov (click on Information Collection Requests).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In OSHA's construction standard for excavations, employers are 
required to protect employees from cave-in hazards by using one of 
several protective systems. The information required to be collected by 
this standard is used by employers or engineers to design proper cave-
in systems that will support the walls of the excavation or trench.
    The employer may choose to slope the sides of the trench or bench 
(step) the soil back. They could also choose to use a support system or 
shield, such as a trench box. The standard provides allowable 
configurations and slopes, and provides appendixes to assist the 
employer with designing either the sloping/benching systems or the 
support/shield systems. If an employer elects to use a protective 
system designed by a registered professional engineer, or bases his/her 
system on tabulated data provided by sources other than the appendix, 
the employer must obtain certain information and keep it at the job 
site for review at the time of an inspection. The information obtained 
by the employer will contain the identity of the registered 
professional engineer who approved the design, will normally specify 
why a particular system was chosen, list the limits of the system 
chosen, and any explanatory information to aid the user of the data in 
the appropriate selection. The documentation provides both the employer 
and the compliance officer with the information necessary to determine 
if the appropriate system has been selected and designed properly.
    Without the information collection requirements which are contained 
in Sec. 1926.652(b)--Design of Sloping and Benching Systems, and 
Sec. 1926.652(c)--Design of Support Systems, Shield Systems, and other 
Protective Systems, employees would be at greater risk from cave-in 
hazards.

Current Action

    This notice requests public comment on OSHA's burden hour estimates 
prior to OSHA seeking Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval of 
the information collection requirements contained in 29 CFR 1926.652 
(b) and (c), Design of Cave-in Protective Systems.
    Type of Review: Extension of existing approval.
    Agency: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. 
Department of Labor.
    Title: Design of Cave-in Protective systems (29 CFR 1926.652 (b) 
and (c)).
    OMB Number: 1218-0137.
    Agency Number: Docket No. ICR-98-17.
    Frequency: On Occasion.
    Affected Public: Business or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 10,000.
    Estimated time Per Respondent: Ranges from -0- to 2 hours.
    Total Burden Hours: 20,080 hours.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection request; they will also become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, DC, this 2nd day of July 1998.
Charles N. Jeffress,
Assistant Secretary of Labor.
[FR Doc. 98-18428 Filed 7-9-98; 8:45 am]
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